Notes :This species, and other species and subspecies from the genus Brassica, all evolved from a common ancestor, the wild cabbage plant, spread all over Europe. Sources show this subspecies Broccoli, native to Italy, was well known already 2000 years ago: the Romans considered it a real delicacy. It was brought to America by the Italian immigrants, but did not become popular until the 1920s. California is the USA state with the larger production of Broccoli. This plant is a very healthy food: rich in vitamins, it also contains chemical compounds that have a strong anti-viral and anti-tumoral action.